During the EP plenary session (3-6 April 2017) in Strasbourg, MEPs debate on wholesale price caps for companies for carrying &ldquo;roaming&rdquo; data transfers between EU countries. Statements by Miapetra KUMPULA-NATRI (S&amp;D, FI), Andrus ANSIP, Vice-President of the EC in charge of Digital Single Market, Paul RUBIG (EPP, AT), Marlene MIZZI (S&amp;D, MT), Evzen TOSENOVSKY (ECR, CZ), Fredrick FEDERLEY (ALDE, SE) and Jo&atilde;o FERREIRA (GUE/NGL, PT).

Strasbourg

debate

plenary session

roaming (T)

protection of personal data (T)

ANSIP, Andrus (Renew, EE)

TOŠENOVSKÝ, Evžen (ECR, CZ)

FEDERLEY, Fredrick (Renew, SE)

KUMPULA-NATRI, Miapetra (S&D, FI)

MIZZI, Marlene (S&D, MT)

RÜBIG, Paul (EPP, AT)

FERREIRA, João (The Left, PT)

Wholesale roaming markets: extracts from the debate on the report by Miapetra KUMPULA-NATRI (S&D, FI)

SOUNDBITE (English), Miapetra KUMPULA-NATRI (S&amp;D, FI), Europeans no longer will face huges phone bill after travelling in another EU country. In June, European can use their phones just like at home without paying extra. Before, Europeans used to switch off when they cross the border. This summer Europeans will be able to call their friends from the beach, to go for a work conference or check emails and social media, from Lisbon to Latvia, from Dublin to Dubrovnik without fear of surcharges.

SOUNDBITE (English), Miapetra KUMPULA-NATRI (S&amp;D, FI), Tomorrow we will vote for the last piece of legislation to make roaming like at home a reality. It sets a price caps that one operator can charge to each other when their consumers travel. The EP defended the interests of the citizens, competitive markets and small operators. As a Rapporteur I am proud of these results, I am proud of what we can achieve together.

SOUNDBITE (English), Andrus ANSIP, Vice-President of the EC in charge of Digital Single Market, With this deal, we should not forget that we have achieved a much more vibrant Digital Single Market. It brings many new possibilities that will benefit all of us &ndash; if they are used properly. The Commission therefore strongly urges the European Parliament adopts the new regulation on wholesale roaming markets.

SOUNDBITE (German), Paul R&#220;BIG (EPP, AT), We are not defining the price but we are keeping up the pressure. I think that citizens should be able to remain upon us and we have been able to ensure that there were be no increases in national rates. The competition can continue to take place at the national level. What is important is that we need to create a good investment environment, we need a cyber roll-out, we need 5G urgently, so the long-range WIFI we should have a technological basis to create a real digital single market.

SOUNDBITE (English), Marlene MIZZI (S&amp;D, MT), For me the fight is not over, and now it is the time to push for the next step to make intra EU calls non-discriminatory having the same prices for domestic and cross border call and SMSs so that consumers will be able to do business, speak with friends and colleagues living in another country without worrying about excessive bills at the end of each month.

SOUNDBITE (Czech), Ev&#382;en TO&#352;ENOVSK&#221; (ECR, CZ), I think that a compromise is a sensible outcome. I think with the volume of data used gradually increasing in the future the price caps will be able to come down. We also need education for the citizens and here the Commission can help on the whole question of the fair use policy.

SOUNDBITE (Swedish), Fredrick FEDERLEY (ALDE, SE), Many people are calling for Google's monopoly position to be broken up. I was wondering, why do not we have any kind of Europe-based Google? What we have not managed to do is to create a single market where there is competition and where there are growth opportunities for digitally-based companies and telecommunication companies.

SOUNDBITE (Portuguese), Jo&#227;o FERREIRA (GUE/NGL, PT), Given the trends in tourist flows in Europe it would mean that the counties of the South of Europe would end up loosing out from the end of roaming in the EU. Since, then, there is being no convincing response for these warnings and we are still in that position, no convincing response. Can we be sure that it will not end up being consumers in the South of Europe who would end up paying through their domestic bills at the end of roaming surcharges in Europe.